Diary of a Tokyo Teen Review

Tuttle Publishing‘s Diary of A Tokyo Teen is written by a Japanese-American girl who traveled solo to Tokyo from the USA before her 16th birthday. Written and drawn by Christine Mari Inzer, this is a graphic novel and travelogue of her experience in Japan as she visited her grandparents in this fascinating country.

The exciting adventure started in Kashiwa where her grandparents live. Then she visited her favorite fast food chain which can’t be found in America, Mos Burger.

She also introduced her cousins and the trendy teenagers you can see around the area.

Christine traveled to Harajuku and this was what she experienced!

Kyoto was her next stop where she shared her experience with the trains, food and the sights around her. Eventually, she found what she was looking for!

Her family eventually arrived and they traveled to Tokyo to see more of Japan. The famous Hachiko, Japanese Ramen, sushi and Japanese culture were all featured as well.

The book is filled with personal photos, thoughts and illustrations that made the book feel more like a personal diary yet it is educational as the readers experience what it is like to travel in Japan.

This book has 128 pages and is paperback with flaps and almost the size of a letter sized bond paper. The good quality white paper used gave the illustrations the attention and the focus it deserves. The fonts used were very much like hand printed letters giving it personalized effect. Colorful and inviting, this book is ideal for children, teenagers and young adults who want to experience what Japan is really like.

I enjoyed reading this and wasn’t surprised that my 12 year old daughter loved it too! Here is what she thought about the book:

“I really, really enjoyed reading the book! It had tons of colorful illustrations and photos. I enjoyed the book a lot because it’s fun and easy to read. I love the way the author showed me what Japan is like. It’s really funny, but at the same time you can learn new facts about Japan. I’ve read a lot of books about different countries, but I think this is one of the best! :)”

We were just talking about visiting Japan for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and this book came! Is that a coincidence or what?

Get a copy of this book from Tuttle Publishing. Since 1948, Tuttle Publishing has been the premier publisher of English language books on Asian culture. They have books on a wide range of topics; including Asian culture, literature, architecture, gardening, cooking, martial arts, origami and crafts, travel, health and wellness, spirituality, and fine art for a worldwide audience. For more information, please visit their website, www.tuttlepublishing.com.